1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a facsimile system and control method and in particular to a facsimile system and control method having a voice transmission function for transmitting voice information from a transmitter to a destination station through a telephone network.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typically, in a facsimile system, a transmitting facsimile machine transmits image information to a receiving facsimile machine where the image information thus transmitted is recorded on sheets of recording paper which are stacked on a paper tray mounted on the receiving facsimile machine. Since the addressee of the transmitted image information is not always located next to the receiving facsimile machine, the sheets of recording paper on which the transmitted image information has been recorded are left stacked on the paper tray until somebody comes to check the receiving facsimile machine. Thus, the person transmitting the image information must place a telephone call to the addressee to apprise the addressee of the fact that the image information has been transmitted to the receiving facsimile machine. This is cumbersome because one is required to make a telephone call to the addressee of transmitted image information every time when image information has been transmitted. Otherwise, the transmitted image information may go astray or picked up by somebody else or an undesirable person.
Japanese Patent Post-examination Publication No. 59-52864 discloses a facsimile receiver which is provided with a voice message transmitter for transmitting a voice message to the telephone unit of an addressee of transmitted image information such that a pre-recorded fixed voice message indicating the arrival of transmitted information is transmitted. However, in this prior art, the voice message is fixed and pre-recorded in the voice message transmitter of the facsimile receiver so that the contents of the voice message cannot be altered. For example, the person transmitting image information may also wish to transmit additional information verbally depending on the contents of image information to be transmitted, and the invention described in the above-described patent publication cannot cope with such a situation.